Magnetic attraction at a distance
Physics · Key Stage 1 · The School
A force with no touching
Hold a magnet near a paperclip, not touching it. If it is close enough, the paperclip jumps towards the magnet by itself. No touching happened before that jump. This is unusual. Most pushes and pulls need contact first. Magnets are different.
Measuring how close is close enough
Move a magnet slowly towards a paperclip from far away. At first, nothing happens. Keep moving closer. At some exact point, the paperclip suddenly jumps. Mark that distance with a ruler. That distance is the magnet's real range. Write the number down.
Comparing two magnets fairly
Test a small magnet and a big magnet the same way. Move each one towards the same paperclip, and mark the exact distance where it jumps. The magnet that works from further away is the stronger one. Size does not always predict strength, so always test it.
Pulling through a barrier
Put a piece of paper flat on a table. Put a paperclip on top of it. Slide a magnet underneath the paper, out of sight. The paperclip slides across the paper too, following the hidden magnet, even though nothing is touching it on top. Try a thicker barrier: card. It might still work. Try thick wood. At some point the pull cannot reach through any more, and the paperclip stops following.
Why this matters
A magnetic hook can hold things up through a thin fridge door. A compass needle turns without anyone touching it. Both work because a magnet's pull reaches out across a gap, or through certain materials, without any direct contact at all.